Search the GPS Site:

Bioinformatics

Master of Science in Bioinformatics

Expanding the limits of biomedical knowledge.

Apply by April 14 for admission to our Summer 2015 term.

Biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations are increasingly viewing bioinformatics as an integral part of their research processes. As biomedical industries seek to make use of vast amounts of genomic data and produce more complex and accurate biological models, they are relying more and more on bioinformatics’ mathematical, statistical and computational methods.

The Master of Science in Bioinformatics offers students a comprehensive computational biology program with focus areas that include systems biology, genomics, proteomics and statistical genetics. The program’s multidisciplinary nature attracts students with backgrounds in biomedical research, life science, information technology, engineering and statistical modeling. Students learn to become experts in the research problems that define the search for new drugs as well as the cutting-edge information technology used to analyze complex data sets.

Graduates of the program are equipped to:

Apply a variety of skills to the processing, storage, analysis and modeling of many types of biological data.

Provide valuable insights into the understanding of complex biological systems and their quantitative data.

Positively impact research projects in the corporate and academic sectors.

The 36-credit program consists of six required courses and six electives.

Courses

M.S. in Bioinformatics

The 36-credit Bioinformatics program is comprised of six required courses and six electives. Core courses provide students with a focused education surrounding fundamental topics in the field, while electives build upon specific professional skillsets and allow students to enrich and round out their studies.

Below is a sample Bioinformatics curriculum. Please note that available courses are subject to change.

Careers

Advance your education and career

Professionals specializing in bioinformatics excel in applying information technology and complex computational approaches to the particular problems of contemporary biotechnology and pharmaceutical organizations. Individuals who productively unite these fields offer biomedical organizations invaluable resources and promise to lead innovation in these industries.

Our students work or have worked at prestigious organizations such as:

Partners Healthcare

AstraZeneca

Novartis

Bayer Corporation

Biogen Idec

Millenium Pharmaceuticals

ImmunoGen, Inc.

Bioinformatics students often hold job titles such as:

Managed Care Analyst

Business Data Analyst

Staff Scientist

Director of Infrastructure Software

Teacher

Research Associate

Research Computing Specialist

Senior Systems Specialist

Consultant

Senior Signal Processing Engineer

Phlebotomist

Biological Science Technician

Lab service technician

Research Associate

Senior Scientist

Our students

By the numbers

The median age of Bioinformatics students in the program is 35.

The program is comprised of 49% male and 51% female

69 students have graduated from the program since it launched in 2002.

24 students are currently working toward their Bioinformatics degree.

“As an online learner at Brandeis GPS, I found the coursework and support resources convenient and accommodating. In fact, I rarely felt as though my studies were an interruption. What I learned was immediately applicable, and I continue every day to benefit from the understanding the courses gave me.”
— Scott Paddock, GPS Student

Bioinformatics

Featured Faculty

Our Bioinformatics faculty members understand the challenges of modern industry. Whether they’re spearheading genetics research at leading pharmaceuticals or designing biological models, they structure their GPS curriculum to draw on real-world expertise and connections that ultimately help our students advance their career goals. Here is a sampling of our Bioinformatics faculty members:

Cliona Malony is a Principal Scientist, Diabetes Genetics Lead at global pharmaceutical leader, Merck and draws on a decade of experience in statistical genetics, genetic epidemiology and bioinformatics in academia and industry. Her work leading a research group in major pharma includes broad skills in organizational leadership, informatics and analysis.

Melissa Landon is a researcher in the Structural Genomics Consortium at the University of Toronto and the founder of LogPhase LLC, a scientific consulting service assisting venture capital firms and startup biotech companies with early-stage drug discovery programs. With fifteen years of experience in biomedical research, including extensive work designing and applying computational processes to drug discovery projects and a background in project management in biomedical research, Melissa brings an organizationally savvy perspective to teaching technical topics like structural bioinformatics.

Andrey Sivachenko is Senior Scientist II at RaNA Therapeutics, a research organization working toward new discoveries in the field of epigenetic drugs. His more than a dozen years of experience working within computational biology have included work for organizations like Broad Institute at MIT, a collaborative biomedical research organization engaging problems in human biology and disease.

Get Advice

Brandeis GPS is committed to giving our student the help they need to navigate their degree programs. From the moment you begin the application process to the day you receive your degree, our advising staff is there to support you. Schedule a call with an enrollment advisor today.

Why Choose Brandeis

Brandeis combines the breadth and scope of a world-class research university with the intimacy and accessibility of a small liberal arts college. Consistently ranked among the nation’s best universities, Brandeis is widely recognized for the excellence of its teaching, the quality and diversity of its student body and the outstanding research of its faculty.As a leading research university and member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, Brandeis fosters self-motivated, curious students ready to engage new experiences and equipped for global endeavors.